Narrative:

This report refers to non compatible MEL deferrals and what part the flight crew can play to prevent oversights like this from occurring. On dec/xa/97 my crew was assigned an A300 aircraft to fly a regular scheduled flight from jfk, ny, to bqn, pr. We were informed that in addition to a deferred inoperative right thrust reverser the plane also had 1 right main wheel brake deactivated and deferred due to dragging and overheating. Maintenance was working to repair the brake before departure. At departure time maintenance determined that the repair could not be accomplished and the aircraft would be dispatched with the original MEL deferrals in place. They returned the logbook with all proper signoffs and MEL numbers recorded. Upon arriving at our destination, we were informed by the company that a mistake had been made and the aircraft should not have been dispatched. According to MEL restrs the aircraft cannot be operated with an inoperative brake and an inoperative thrust reverser on the same side. Although the flight and landing were uneventful, the improper MEL deferments created a technical illegality. I hope in future recurrent training classes that we will make a point of encouraging crews to take a moment (even when pressing against departure schedule) to review the deferred items in the MEL for possible restrs. Most MEL items are only a paragraph or two long but packed with information. I'll bet I'll be doing it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 ACFT WAS DISPATCHED ILLEGALLY BECAUSE BOTH R REVERSER INOP AND R MAIN WHEEL BRAKE INOP DEFERRED.

Narrative: THIS RPT REFERS TO NON COMPATIBLE MEL DEFERRALS AND WHAT PART THE FLC CAN PLAY TO PREVENT OVERSIGHTS LIKE THIS FROM OCCURRING. ON DEC/XA/97 MY CREW WAS ASSIGNED AN A300 ACFT TO FLY A REGULAR SCHEDULED FLT FROM JFK, NY, TO BQN, PR. WE WERE INFORMED THAT IN ADDITION TO A DEFERRED INOP R THRUST REVERSER THE PLANE ALSO HAD 1 R MAIN WHEEL BRAKE DEACTIVATED AND DEFERRED DUE TO DRAGGING AND OVERHEATING. MAINT WAS WORKING TO REPAIR THE BRAKE BEFORE DEP. AT DEP TIME MAINT DETERMINED THAT THE REPAIR COULD NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED AND THE ACFT WOULD BE DISPATCHED WITH THE ORIGINAL MEL DEFERRALS IN PLACE. THEY RETURNED THE LOGBOOK WITH ALL PROPER SIGNOFFS AND MEL NUMBERS RECORDED. UPON ARRIVING AT OUR DEST, WE WERE INFORMED BY THE COMPANY THAT A MISTAKE HAD BEEN MADE AND THE ACFT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISPATCHED. ACCORDING TO MEL RESTRS THE ACFT CANNOT BE OPERATED WITH AN INOP BRAKE AND AN INOP THRUST REVERSER ON THE SAME SIDE. ALTHOUGH THE FLT AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL, THE IMPROPER MEL DEFERMENTS CREATED A TECHNICAL ILLEGALITY. I HOPE IN FUTURE RECURRENT TRAINING CLASSES THAT WE WILL MAKE A POINT OF ENCOURAGING CREWS TO TAKE A MOMENT (EVEN WHEN PRESSING AGAINST DEP SCHEDULE) TO REVIEW THE DEFERRED ITEMS IN THE MEL FOR POSSIBLE RESTRS. MOST MEL ITEMS ARE ONLY A PARAGRAPH OR TWO LONG BUT PACKED WITH INFO. I'LL BET I'LL BE DOING IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.